Sweet and Salty Goat Cheese Bites

I am deep into holiday cookie baking at the moment. Assembling neatly organized cookie boxes is one of the most satisfying activities of the season. I was recently pondering the idea of a savory cookie. Like, at what point does a savory cookie just become a cracker? These are the thoughts that often keep me up at night.

I started experimenting with how salty I could make a shortbread. I found a really lovely balance in these Sweet and Salty Goat Cheese Bites. I wasn’t totally sure what to call them because “goat cheese cookies” didn’t sounds great to me. These are more than just goat cheese cookies anyways. The shortbread is salty but sweetened with good quality honey. The whipped goat cheese is light and tangy, then topped with nutty pistachios and a slice of pear. It tastes like all the best parts of a cheese board in one single bite.

I think these would be such a fun appetizer or dessert at a holiday or new years gathering! A cookie as an appetizer sounds like a dream to me!

Sweet and Salty Goat Cheese Bites

makes about 24

113g (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

27g (1/4 cup) rice flour 

125g (1 cup) all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

70g (1/4) honey

4 oz package of Roth Chèvre goat cheese, room temperature 

2 tbsp heavy cream

Crushed pistachios, for topping

Sliced pears, for topping

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, rice flour, flour, salt, and honey. Mix with a flexible spatula until a smooth, cohesive dough forms. Knead by hand for the last minute if needed. Form the dough into a 1” thick disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge until firm but pliable, 45 to 60 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

3. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper or on a lightly floured surface until 1/8-inch thick. Sprinkle with a little more flour if the dough is sticking. Cut out 2” rounds, squares, or hexagons with a cookie cutter. Use a small offset spatula to release the cookies from the parchment and place on the rimmed baking sheet, spacing each cookie 1” apart. Re-knead the extra dough and cut out more cookies. Chill the dough for a few minutes if it gets too soft to handle.

4. Bake the cookies until lightly golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to fully cool.

5. In a medium bowl, cream the softened goat cheese and heavy cream with a flexible spatula. Continue to vigorously mix until airy and very smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer the whipped goat cheese into a piping bag or large ziplock bag. Snip the tip and pipe a little dollop of whipped goat cheese on each cookie. Sprinkle crushed pistachios on each dollop and place a slice of pear or your favorite fruit on top. If you want a little extra sweetness, you can add a light drizzle of honey.

Recipe notes:

• The cookies hold their shape the best and roll our easiest when the dough is cold. After cutting out the cookies and placing them on a baking sheet, you can stick the whole sheet in the fridge or freezer (wherever you have room) for a few minutes to chill and firm up before baking.

• The cookies and whipped goat cheese (best pipped when warm) can be made advance. Assemble right before serving.

Thank you, Roth Cheese, for sponsoring all my cheesy posts this year!